The Rise of the Clowns

Dedication

I dedicate this book to the memory of Viveka Mason Breitzman, one of my closest friends. It is to me one of the greatest tragedies that I could not share this novel with her, as she passed away only months before it was finished. Still, her influence on me and my life will always live in the periphery of my tales, for she helped me understand the meaning of friendship, the joy of the adventurous wind, and the importance of holding on to your true self.